Ecossistemas de inovação para a resiliência climática em comunidades costeiras com risco elevado

Grounded on the resounding concerns regarding the anticipated escalation of consequences associated with coastal erosion in the forthcoming decades, iCOAST strives to be an opening move towards a change of tide in conventional coastal risk management. iCOAST seeks to introduce a groundbreaking approach characterized by open, de-risking, and bottom-up innovation, thereby actively contributing to the efficacy and sustainability of adaptation strategies in response to heightened coastal risks exacerbated by shoreline recession. Ultimately, the overarching goal of iCOAST is to build coastal communities’ resilience to accelerating coastal erosion and its consequences, whilst improving coastal ecosystems services in the specific context of the region in which iCOAST will operate, i.e., the coastal stretch Cova-Gala – Leirosa (Coimbra district). This endeavor is driven by a strategic vision that extends beyond immediate implementation, aspiring to scale up its approach for sustained and widespread impact. In pursuit of this ambitious main objectives iCOAST will hinge upon the establishment of an innovation ecosystem, i.e., Coastal Resilience Living Lab [CR-LL]. The CR-LL will be a dynamic platform, designed to cultivate a collaborative environment wherein community stakeholders will actively engage in the co-creation of innovation with the explicit goal of collaboratively devising solutions that address the multifaceted challenges presented by coastal risks to local communities. With these overarching aspirations guiding our efforts, the iCOAST research team has meticulously crafted a research plan strategically aligned to address a set of interconnected specific objectives (SO) defined for each Tasks (T). These are: SO1:To identify the barriers impeding citizen engagement in coastal risk management processes and discern predictors thereof (T1), to strategically address these factors during the implementation of the CR-LL (T3). SO2:To identify the paramount needs and challenges faced by coastal communities amidst the escalating threat of coastal erosion and its ensuing impacts (T1), which will serve as the foundational basis for the establishment of the CR-LL (T3). SO3:To establish a comprehensive baseline for coastal erosion and flooding risk exposure, coupled with the formulation of future projections within the operational sphere of CR-LL (T2), in order to define the demo sites in which the community-led solution will be tested (T3). SO4:To institute an innovation ecosystem through the collaborative implementation of the CR-LL, in which stakeholders will actively engage in a cooperative effort aimed at conceiving, executing, and monitoring a community-led solution designed to effectively tackle the challenges faced by the community and the pressing risks related to coastline recession (T3). SO5:To provide a comprehensive evaluation of the effectiveness of the CR-LL approach in engaging citizens in coastal risk management (T4), in order to generate evidence-based policy recommendations that will inform immediate project outcomes and contribute to the sustainability of similar initiatives beyond the project's scope (T5). SO6:To develop a business incubation programme, stemming directly from the initiatives undertaken within the CR-LL (T5). SO7:To develop CR-LL twin prototypes, to enable its replication and scaling to address the challenges posed by accelerating coastal erosion in various national and international coastal settings (T5).